Living in the modern world requires owning a good pair of headphones, but it can be difficult to know where to begin with so many models, designs, and specs available.

Here’s where we come in: we’ve spent over 15 years testing the best earbuds and headphones, so we know excellent comfort, convenience, and sound quality when we hear it. For your prospective purchases, our recommendations also include extra features like control apps, noise cancellation, special spatial audio processing, and long battery life.

All price ranges are covered in our best headphones buying guide, but for even more economical choices, see our list of the best inexpensive headphones.